Giants of Land, Sea & Air, Past & Present was published in 1986 by Sierra Club/Alfred A. Knopf/Random House and was translated into five foreign languages. Both Newsweek and The New York Times picked it as one of their 10 best books for children for Christmas that year. It was the first book to feature all of its illustrated animals to the same scale alongside humans who ran or swam through each page spread. This gave a dramatic impression of the immensity of the animals. Several multiple gatefolds were necessary for the blue whale and certain dinosaurs. Some nice 5-star reviews at Amazon.com.

David Peters, author and illustrator of GIANTS, is available for speaking engagements, school classrooms and assemblies. Request details.

A Gallery of Dinosaurs & Other Early Reptiles was published in 1989 by Sierra Club/Alfred A. Knopf/Random House followed in the footsteps and shadow of Giants. Unfortunately it did not get the PR that its novel predecessor received, despite having better graphics and a writer who was more deeply vested in the subject matter. Here the illustrations were restricted to prehistoric reptiles, including a few recently discovered giants. Five-foot-tall children posed on and alongside the dinosaurs for scale. Several gatefolds were needed for the biggest of the big. Here's the Amazon.com link.

From the Beginning - The Story of Human Evolution was published in 1991 by Little Brown. This black and white book showed the evolution of humans from chemicals and one-celled organisms through the various sorts of worms, fish, reptiles, mammals and primates which were our antecedents. Each page spread illustrated each descendant noting what was new. In this way I had hoped to quell creationist arguments by demonstrating the gradual acquisition of all the characters that make up the human body. The book became extinct a year later. For what it tried to do, no other book before or since has done better. Two nice reviews at Amazon.com.

Strange Creatues was published in 1992 by Sierra Club/Alfred A. Knopf/Random House. Here I looked for the weirdest of the weird. No gatefolds this time. The scale, whether tiny or gigantic, was referenced by five-foot-tall kids, or just their fingers. Two of them were my own kids. Here's the Amazon.com link.

All of the research for these books got me involved in prehistoric animals to such an extent that I joined the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, traveled around the world to conventions and museums, hung out at geology libraries and met some fascinating professors. In 2000 I started getting published in peer-reviewed academic journals, including Science and Nature.

Raptors! The Nastiest Dinosaurs was written by Don Lessem and illustrated by yours truly. Published in 1996 by Little Brown. Here I finally had [got] to paint backgrounds, perspective and action! Some nice reviews on Amazon.com along with some inner pages on display. It was a great collaboration that led to SuperGiants (see below).

Supergiants! The Biggest Dinosaurs was written by Don Lessem and illustrated by yours truly. Published in 1997 by Little Brown. It featured the largest sauropod dinosaurs, including several that had just been discovered. The one review from Amazon.com mentioned problems I had drawing sauropod limbs. Perhaps she expected more toes on the forelimbs. Really there is only one, the thumb, that sticks out.

Don't Spank Hank is awaiting publication, but you can read it now online by clicking on the cover image. Baby Hank is a tiny tornado of trouble. He doesn't talk, but his dog does, defending the boy whenever his parents threaten a spanking. 60 pages. Double spread illustrations. Beginner reading level.

David Peters, author and illustrator of Don't Spank Hank, is available for speaking engagements, school classrooms and assemblies. Request details here.

Pretty Boy Roy is awaiting publication, but you can read it now online by clicking on the cover image. Roy grew up good-looking. Everyone stared at him and he never liked it. His sister was plain, but she blossomed in her teens. Being beautiful is not all its cracked up to be, as they both find out. 56 pages. Double spread illustrations. Beginner reading level.

David Peters, author and illustrator of PRETTY BOY ROY, is available for speaking engagements, school classrooms and assemblies. Request details here.

My Mom is Taller Than My Dad is in an early stage of creation, but you can read it now online by clicking on the cover image. This book honors all parent, no matter how wonderful or weird. 48 pages. Double spread illustrations. Beginner reading level.